The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

The Big Sandy Pioneer Varsity girls basketball team has shown vast improvement over the course of the season but had yet to find the win column, that is until this past Friday.

The Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds held a 12-4 advantage heading into the second quarter. Things then began to turn around.

Sophomore Amanda Cline scored all 9 of Big Sandy's second quarter points and that was one more than the Thunderbirds scored as a team.

The Pioneers had a huge second half outscoring Hays/L.P. in the third 16-6 on the strength of 10 points from junior Jaylyn Cline, to take a 29-26 lead into the fourth quarter.

Jaylyn scored eight more down the stretch and Amanda added four. Senior Jenna Leader knocked down a triple in the quarter helping Big Sandy record 21 fourth quarter points and secure their first win of the season 50-39.

Jaylyn Cline led the offensive attack with 22 points, Amanda added 13, Leader score five and senior Andrea Rutledge chipped in four in the win.

The boys took on a Thunderbird team who had their offense in high gear. Big Sandy trailed 49-17 at the half before falling 81-31.

Saturday was a tough go on the hardwood for both squads as the girls fell to the Denton/Geysrer/Stanford Bearcats 46-27, in what was a much closer contest than the first go around.

The boys were defeated by the Bearcats 70-36.

With four games left in the regular season both teams will look to make adjustments heading into the District 9C Tournament in Havre, February 14-17.

Girls Basketball Box Scores

Big Sandy 50 Hays/Lodge Pole 39

Hays/L.P. 12 8 6 13 - 39

Big Sandy 4 9 16 21 - 50

Hays/L.P.: Nature Andrew 1 0-0 2, Darrellyn Blackwolf 0 0-0 0, Ella Messerly 3 0-0 8, Sheraya Boushie 0 0-0 0, Sierra Chandler 0 0-0 0, Latasha Kirkaldie 4 1-2 9, Kassi Perez 0 0-0 0, Mulleeah Stiffarm 5 2-7 13, Tahlia Werk 1 1-3 3, Miquela Perez 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 15 1-15 39.

Big Sandy: Jenna Leader 1 3-5 6, Andrea Rutledge 2 0-0 4, Lainey Gregory 0 0-0 0, Jaylyn Cline 7 7-13 22, Amanda Cline 3 6-10 13, Sarah Reichelt 3 0-0 6. Team Totals 16 14-28 50.

Three Point - Hay/L.P. 3 (Latasha Kirkaldie 2, Mulleeah Stiffarm 1), Big Sandy 3 (Jenna Leader 1, Jaylyn Cline 1, Amanda Cline 1); Total Fouls - Hay/L.P. 25, Big Sandy 17; Fouled Out - Hay/L.P. (Darrellyn Blackwolf, Ella Messerly, Mulleeah Stiffarm).

Denton/Geyser/Stanford 46 Big Sandy 27

D/G/S 5 14 13 14 - 46

Big Sandy 9 4 5 9 - 27

D/G/S: Adie Woodhall 3, Casidy Randel 21, Natalie Sloan 3, Bailey Howell 0, Sydney VanBergen 12, Julia Grubb 1, Jessica Ayers 0, Mariah Schutt 3. Team Totals N/A.

Big Sandy: Brooke Leader 5, Andrea Rutledge 2, Lainey Gregory 3, Jaylyn Cline 8, Sarah Reichelt 2, Amanda Cline 7. Team Totals N/A.

Boys Basketball Box Scores

Hays/Lodge Pole 81 Big Sandy 31

Hays/L.P. 21 28 20 12 - 81

Big Sandy 8 9 11 3 - 31

Hays/L.P.: Moke Cliff 5 0-0 11, Michael Ball 1 0-0 2, Jeff Stiffarm 2 0 -0 6, David Main 9 0-0 18, Chance Main 2 3-4 8, Sage Bradley 4 0-0 11,Tony Sears 4 0-0 9, Siris Grandchamp 0 2-2 2, Damian Bradley 2 0-0 5, Kenneth Blackcrow 2 0-1 5, J. Doney 2 0-1 4, James Brockie 2 0-0 4. Team Totals 33 5-8 81.

Big Sandy: Parker Proulx 0 0-0 0, Ryan Roth 6 3-5 17, Ethan Wagoner 0 0-0 0, Brady Pleninger 0 0-0 0, Kade Strutz 1 0-0 2, Cam Schwarzbach 0 0-0 0, Jeremiah Genereux 0 0-0 0, Clint Darlington 4 2-2 10, Brock Proulx 1 0-2 2. Team Totals 12 5-9 31.

Three Point - Hays/L.P. 10 (Sage Bradley 3, Jeff Stiffarm 2, Kenneth Blackcrow 1, Damian Bradley 1,Tony Sears 1, Chance Main 1, Moke Cliff 1), Big Sandy 2 (Ryan Roth 2); Total Fouls - Hays/L.P. 13, Big Sandy 10; Fouled Out - None.

Denton/Geyser/Stanford 70 Big Sandy 36